A CRACKING selection of egg cups collected over four decades is going under the hammer.
Judy Kitching MBE, well-known in the Stokesley area for her Cornshed concerts and charity work, is finally selling her egg cup collection cultivated since the 1980s.
The hobby of collecting egg cups is called Pocillovy, and enthusiasts are in for a treat when 3,500 of Ms Kitching's collection goes on sale on September 18, at Lithgow Sons and Partners auction house in Stokesley and online.
Julie Redhead, the office manager of Lithgows, said: “We have never auctioned anything like this in the past.
"We are excited to see the egg cup collectors’ community appear at the auction, and we have gone onto webcast so the collection can be viewed internationally."
The egg cups lived in a shed on Ms Kitching's North Yorkshire farm, but now she is downsizing, there is no room for this enormous collection, which took five cars to transport it to the auctioneers.
Ms Kitching said: “We kept poultry on the farm, which is how it all began.
"I have done talks on them as people are really interested in the history, and exhibitions to raise money, usually around Easter time when afternoon tea and boiled eggs and soldiers would be served.
"But I realise now, it is time to let them go. I don’t think I can go to the auction as I think I may be too upset.
"I am sad to leave them and the farm, but it is all for the best and I hope people get as much enjoyment out of them as I have.”
The collection is diverse; there are beautiful and delicate ones, such as Wedgewood and Royal Worcester as well as Spitting Image heads of the Queen, Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher. There are commemorative ones, such as the coronation of King George and Queen Mary, humorous ones, brightly coloured children’s fun ones and a modern Allesi version which duplicates as tongs to lift out the egg. They are made from wood, glass, metal, ceramic, mineral, stone, horn, plastic and Bakerlite.
The catalogue is available on September 3 at lithgowauctions.com.
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